The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-21
A Self-Confdent and Aggressive Man Commits
a Serious Blunder, and Makes the Matter
Worse by Perversely Sticking to 1t.
Bishop Keane Pictures Erin's Wrongs
in Eloquent and Glowing Words.
Belief that Russian Nihilists Will Make Fur
ther Efforts to Assassinate the Czar-Mis-
ceIlaneous News by the Gables.


The Chief Secretary's Serious Blunder-Its |
Irritating Effect on the People.
BosToN, March 2O-J. J. Clancy cables the |
Herald: ''Mr. Balfour, Chief Secretary for Ire !
land, is steadily going the way of his immediate
predecessor He commenced the week in a very |
self-confdent and insolent fashion, but he has
already made more than Ione bad blunder and
secured an unenviable nickname for life He
will henceforth be known to all men as Bloody
Balfour.' In a reckless attempt to carry things
on in high, imperial way, he was silly enough to
give his approval to murderous order Issued
by notorious subordinate. He defended the
Youghal police murder. and, in excuse for it, he
promptly made himself the mouthpiece of false
information, and did it all with an mpudence of
manner which was intended to create terror,
but only created hatred The result is
that now he is as limp as he was
stiff and naughty at the beginning, and
it is not difficult to predict that by the time the
Irish members are done with him, or, rather
long before he will be as utterly discredted as
any opponent of his could desire. In Ireland,
the effect of Bafour's blundering is such that it
will take the utmost efforts OF the Irish leaders
to keep the people within the bounds of modera-
tion. The excitement over the arrest of Father
Keller, who, by the way, is of tho highest stamp
of the Irish priest, has now reached Dublin, and
will undoubtedly continue to grow with the
length Of his Imprisonment. In fact, the war
under Balfour is not unlikely to develop into
that worst of all contests, religious war The
object Of all, of course, is to make out for
coercion, and yet now that the road to coer
cion act is cleared by the passing OF the cloture,
the government seems to hes itate to bring on its
coercion proposal If all hear be true, it is ust
possible that there may, after all, be no
coercion act at all. It is said that the cover n
ment is. in short, in a perfect quandary as to
what to do, not only on the question of coercion,
but on that of the land. car hardly believe it
myself. however, for it is assured of the support
of the Lib al Unionists. at least in regard to
ercon. Even Trevelyan. who has been oscil-
lating for sometime between two opinions, has
now swung back once more to coercion. The
cause of the hitch is probably to be found in
Gladstone's last speech, which, by the way, has
excited intense enthusiasm in Ireland. The
Liberal leader, in that speech, declared against
any further use of British credit for buying out
the Irish landlords, while expressing his belief
that scheme of purchase without the aid of
much credit was possible under an Irish Parlia-
ment This rendered purchase scheme on a
British credit basis impossible for the Tories
and as they have no other scheme. and their
Liberal allies must agree a land bill as we'll
as coercion bill, it may be that the whole
Unonist policy may soon suddenly collapse"
Bishop Keane's Eloquent and Forcible Words
ROME, March 2o.-Bishop Keane, of Rich
mond, preached a magnificent sermon, this
morning, in the Irish Franciscan Church, of ST.
Isidore, on the subject of st. Patrick and the
Irish Nation. comparing the early glories of
Christian Ireland to the TRANSPORTATION of Christ
on the mount, and her after persecution and suf-
fering to the journey to Calvary. He drew
powerful picture of Ireland's condition as the
light and teacher of the nations of Europe, her
children reaching even to the gates of Rome
itself. He described the destruction of Irelands
church. the closing of her schools, and the oppres-
sion of her people. From this treading of the
wine press uncounted blessings were to flow to
the world. Once the instructress of nations,
Ireland was now held up to scorn and mockery
as foolish and ignorant As Christ was despised
and the most abject of men, man Of sorrow
:..rd acquainted with grief, go was Ireland. God
permitted the 7nightiest empire in the world,
the Roman, to cruelty his Son. and so was Ire
land cruc6ed by the might est empire that has
existed since the days of Augustus From her
crucifxion her love has gone to the ends of the
earth to plant the cross of Christ, and has built
up His church everywhere. Jesus lay three
days in the tomb. which was sealed with the seal
of Caesar and the synagogue. When East
er came He arose in glory. Ireland's Easter is
is at hand, after three centuries of entombment.
The first brightness was Catholic emancipation,
and it has since been slowly but steadily ex-
panding Life has been returning to that
mangled form swathed in grave clothes.
Already the trumpet of the Lord is proclaiming
''It is Easter morn" Voices deny it. declaring
ssThere is no resurrection sShe has not risen;r
"There is no life in her." ''They have stolen
| her from the tomb while we slept
The Bishop continued But although
| the same mystery of the cross prevails,
| He who has led her to labor and the tomb will
Just as surely lead her to the new light. God is
| Just to nations. The hour of retribution must
come Eric's crown Of reward will be one of
| Joy God forbid she should ever have ambiti on
to be- anything but what God has destined her
to be- We ask for her iberty-not the falss
| liberty which mistaken ones of other nations
ask, where they complain of the law, seeking
| anarchy and license, but freedom for impair
| tial Justice, for the growth Of which God has
| fitted her for the peace that she has
sought-not the grim peace of blood,
with which nations delude themselves, but the
peace of the Lord, like that majestic forgiveness
that granted even to perfdious Jerusalem.
We ask prosparity--not the mock prosperity of
hard d-hearted wealth. lowering over fostering
| want, but fire, clothing against nakedness com
fort, instead of the hard. grinding debasing
suffering and persecution of past centuries"
The whole sermon was q grand triumphal
panegyric. The church was crowded with Irish